The Magic Awakens
by Stella Luce 333
Summary: One Fraggle, one Gorg, one Doozer, & one Silly Creature must unite in an attempt to bring peace & harmony to the Universe. Their first task? They must journey together to find the Cave of the Council…but what they discover along the way will surprise them all…
1. Chapter 1

Marjory's POV:

"Hello, Madam Heap."

"Oh, hello Cantus." I said, greeting my old friend as I rose to my full height. "I was wondering when I would see you again."

"I apologize for the late hour, but I have listened to the songs of the Universe. I felt the need to speak with you."

"I feel it too, Cantus. Everything is lining up perfectly. The Universe needs us, & we will soon have the opportunity to act."

My boys must've heard me, because they began to stir.

"Wake up." Philo said. "We have visitors."

"What? Oh." Gunge said. "You are in the presence of…"

"It's ok, boys. I've got this one. Go back to sleep."

"What's so important you're coming here in the middle of the night?"

"We're going to bring a little peace & harmony to the Universe." I said. "Go back to sleep."

When they finally settled down, I turned back to Cantus. "I think it's time to assemble a new Council."

"I agree." Cantes said. "I believe I know which Fraggle is up to the task. Does Junior still seek your guidance?"

"Yes, we talk often. I'll see if I can nudge him in the right direction." I said. "I'll send these two down to check on your progress."

"The Trash Heap has spoken." Philo murmured sleepily.

Gobo's POV:

"Hey, Gobo, why are we going all the way out here? Doesn't your Uncle use the other entrance now that Doc left?" Wembley asked as we walked. We were heading towards the entrance to Outer Space.

"I don't know, Wembley." I said as we approached the hole that led to the First Room. "Sometimes I just like to look out at the wonder & beauty that is Outer Space."

"It's just so big, so vast…"

"So empty." Wembley said. "Yeah, I think I see what you mean."

"It's not empty." I said, peering out.

"It's not?"

"No! A Silly Creature is in there!"

"Oh no! We have to tell the others!" I started to follow him back down the tunnel.

"Wait a second." I said, stopping. "We don't need to be afraid."

"We don't?" Wembly asked.

"No. Remember? Doc couldn't see me, at least not until I touched him & he touched me." I went back to the hole, taking a few steps towards Outer Space. "Why, that sounds like…music..." It even looked like she had a guitar in her lap. "It's a _musical_ Silly Creature!"

The Silly Creature looked up from her guitar, & looked directly into my eyes. "Hello?"

I gasped, backing out of the hole to the safety of Frggle Rock.

"I think it saw me!"

* * *

 **I think that, in today's world, we are in desperate need of some peace & harmony…I think Fraggle Rock's message is just as relevant today as it was in the 80s, so this is my attempt to write a modern day Fraggle story!**

 **I hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Caroline's POV:

"I think this is the last of it." My dad said as he placed the box on the floor.

"This will be a perfect music room." I said. "Thanks for letting me come out here. I love my new step siblings, but…" I thought about how to put this tactfully. "It's nice to have a quiet place to work."

"Samira said that this old shed was once used as a workshop, roughly 30 years ago. It should be hooked up to the electric, but let me know if you have any problems."

I nodded, setting my lap top on my desk.

"Oh! Your guitar picks came in the mail today." Dad put the box next to me.

"Awesome!"

"Make sure you come back in for dinner." Dad said on his way out the door.

"Mmhmm." I said. I was already ripping open the box. I had gotten them engraved with a quote from my former neighbor. It was an idea that I had kept with me my whole life.

 _You cannot leave the Magic._

I smiled. They were perfect…& it seemed like the perfect opportunity to play my guitar.

I found it leaning against one of the walls. I picked it up...discovering an ugly old hole.

I'd have to get Dad to look at that…

It took me a few moments to set up my lap top & microphone, but then I was ready to play. I started singing a song from the radio, just to test my equipment.

Two eyes stared at me from the hole.

"…Hello?" I asked. I took a step towards the hole, getting my foot caught under the wire connecting my mic to my lap top. I managed to catch myself, & thankfully my mic didn't fall…

Bending down, I pulled my phone out of my pocket, shining it into the hole. _Please don't let there be rats in my studio!_

I saw nothing except for a colored puff of fur, which seemed to be moving away from the hole…

So, not a rat…but what was that thing?

I was about to get back to work when I noticed one of the floor boards was loose. It must have come up when I tripped.

I sat down on the floor, to try & push the board back into place, when I noticed that there was something hidden under the floorboard. I pulled out a Ziploc bag filled with little gummy candies…& a note. I opened the bag & read the note.

 _To enter Fraggle Rock: Take one gummy, chew thoroughly. Keep a tight hold on the bag so that it retains its proportion. Once you have returned, a second gummy will restore you to your proper size._

Fraggle Rock?

I mean, it was great to know that somebody else, finally, knew about the stories that I had loved in my childhood, but…no way…

I sighed & put the gummies back under the floorboards, closing the secret hiding place.

30 year old gummies would probably taste terrible anyway…

* * *

The next day, I brought my school stuff into my music room to study…but I kept staring at the hole instead. Was it really an entrance to Fraggle Rock?

I shook my head, trying to clear my wandering thoughts & focus on studying for my Spanish test...which made me think of when I was a little girl, & my dad & I lived in the desert. It was very common to hear both English & Spanish being spoken in that small town…

Dad would've still been at work when I came home from school, so I stayed with the elderly gentleman who lived with his dog in the apartment below us until my Dad came home. He would tell me stories about a place called Fraggle Rock.

They weren't like normal stories. He was an inventor & a scientist, so they were more like observations about what Fraggle Rock was like. He said that the Fraggles came to visit him, which was how he knew so much about their world. None of my friends at school had ever heard of it, so I eventually just kept it to myself.

What were the odds that somebody else knew about Fraggle Rock?

I couldn't think about that now. I had to study. I returned my focus to my textbook…but I found myself staring at the hole again after a few moments.

Ok, so I was obviously not going to get anything done until I satisfied my curiosity.

I walked over to where it had been & knelt down. I tried a few different floorboards until I found the right one. Standing, I grabbed my phone off my desk & stuck it in my back pocket. There were a million reasons why I shouldn't be eating gummies that were hidden for who knows how many years, but I wanted to be able to call for help if I needed it.

I took one out of the bag, & chewed it. It wasn't bad, especially for being old. It was still chewable, & actually tasted like raspberries.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then I started to feel weird.

A dozen worst case scenarios rushed through my head as I turned & ran for the door, pulling my phone out to call for help. Before I could decide whether or not I should call my dad or 911, the feeling stopped.

I took a few deep breaths & put my phone back in my pocket. Maybe there wasn't anything to worry about…

I looked around. Everything seemed so much bigger now…How did that happen?

I remembered what the instructions said. A second gummy will _restore you to your proper size._

The room wasn't bigger. I had shrunk!

"…Hello?" A voce said. I had thought I was alone. Was I invisible as well?

No, just mostly hidden by my backpack. I peeked around the edge. There was a strange, furry creature standing there.

A Fraggle?

"Huh, I guess there really isn't anything to worry about. She's not even here." It walked back towards the hole. "Guess I'll just have to come back tomorrow…"

I stuck the bag of gummies in my pocket. Since I had been shrunk down to the size of a Fraggle, I might as well try to follow one to Fraggle Rock!

I ran back across the room, took a deep breath, & walked through the hole. I could see the Fraggle up ahead. I followed after him, as quietly as possible.

He must have sensed me following, because he decided to look behind him after he turned a corner. I jumped back, & decided to wait a moment before following.

As I turned the corner, I realized that I had waited too long.

Ahead of me was a fork in the road, & the Fraggle was nowhere in sight.

* * *

 **If you guys want to see what Caroline looks like, take a look at my Tumblr (I have the same username)! If you don't see her right away, click on the OCs link along the top.**

 **Next time, Caroline will continue her journey into Fraggle Rock, & possibly be reunited with an old childhood friend…**

 **Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Caroline's POV:

I looked down both paths. There were no clues to indicate where the Fraggle had gone. At least I had a 50/50 shot…

I turned left. If I didn't make any more turns, I'd be able to come straight back if the Fraggle had gone the other way.

Eventually, I heard voices up ahead. To my right, I could look down & see dozens of colorful furry creatures below.

"It's real." I whispered to myself. "Fraggle Rock…is real." I got as close to the edge as possible, trying to see every detail.

Suddenly, the rock & dirt under my feet started to give away. I tried to jump back to sturdy ground, but it was no use. I bit back a scream as my feet went out from under me, & I slid all the way down to the ground below.

Ow.

I sat up slowly. I didn't think anything was broken, but I would have some bruises tomorrow. Luckily, I had slid behind some rocks that were big enough to hide me. Peering over the edge, I saw that nobody had noticed my arrival.

I turned to look behind me. The rock, where I had slid, was completely smooth. I wasn't going to be able to climb back up to the path.

I was lost.

I heard a couple of voices coming closer, so I hid until they passed.

"…If you could bring me a few berries from the garden? I was thinking of making a berry glaze to go with my baked radishes for dinner."

"Of course! I just love spending time in the Gorgs' Garden. It's so peaceful."

"As long as the Gorgs don't thump you & turn you into Fraggle mush."

I waited until they left before sitting up again. I looked around, & when nobody was looking I clambered over the rock to free myself. Maybe one of these tunnels led back home…

I had been wandering through the tunnels for a while, when I heard some voices ahead. I turned & quickly went the way I had come, but there were Fraggles behind me too. I was trapped!

Or maybe not. I saw an opening in the wall, & ducked through it as the Fraggles passed. I was in a large room. Somebody must live in this cave…

"Hello..?" I called out. No answer. I guess nobody was home…for now. I probably should have left, but my curiosity got the better of me.

Colorful postcards covered the walls. Two openings in the wall had been turned into two little beds. A spare shirt with banana trees on it was sticking out from under a pillow. A strange object sat by the other bed. I plucked one of the strings. It almost looked like a guitar…

Books & papers were on a stone table. I opened one of the books. The center of the universe is, of course, that marvelous land known as Fraggle Rock. It is thus called because it is a Rock and Fraggles live there.

"Hey, be careful with that!" I jumped & spun to see where the voice had come from. My hip bumped into a stack of papers, knocking them to the floor.

"Sorry!" I said. I was caught. I held my hands up in surrender.

Standing in the doorway was the Fraggle from my music room.

* * *

 **I know I promised you guys a reunion in this chapter, but it was turning into a very big info dump…so I broke it into two parts!**

 **Next time, the reunion as promised…as well as the start of the adventure!**

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Caroline's POV:

"Oh, it's all right." he said as he came towards me. "It's just my uncle's stuff. He asked me to watch it while he's in Outer Space…"

"You're a Fraggle." I said, shocked to find myself face to face with him.

"You're not." he said, equally as shocked. "You're that new Silly Creature, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"Why are you holding your hands like that?" he asked.

"So you know I'm not a threat." I said.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I won't hurt you. You just startled me. How did you get here?"

I lowered my hands, & briefly explained everything that had happened up to this point, including how I had heard stories about Fraggle Rock growing up. As I talked, I bent down to pick up the papers I had knocked on the floor.

"Gobo!" A green Fraggle entered the cave, & came over to us. "Gobo! Guess what! The Minstrels are here!" The green one noticed me for the first time. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had company."

"Oh! Uh, Wembley, this is…uh…"

"Caroline." I supplied for him.

"I'm Gobo, & this is my friend Wembley." A horn sounded from somewhere else in the Rock. "You should come with us to see the Minstrels. They always bring new songs with them for us to sing!"

"Ok." I said, letting my new friends lead the way. If I stayed close to them, I'm sure everything would be fine.

* * *

"Hello, Fraggles!" The lead Minstrel, whose name was Cantus according to Gobo, addressed the Fraggles that had assembled in this area that Gobo called the Great Hall. "It is an honor to share with you this day, for this day is not like other days."

"Did you bring us a new song?" called out a Fraggle towards the front, with big red pigtails.

"I have, just as I always have. But more importantly, I have brought a message from the universe."

This was met with many oohs & ahhs.

"Is Gobo Fraggle among you?"

"Here!" Gobo called from his place beside me. "I'm here!" The crowd parted to let him approach Cantus.

"The message from the universe is this: It's time to assemble the Council of the Universe!" This was met with a cheer, which then turned to confusion.

"What's the Council of the Universe?" Gobo asked.

"The Council of the Universe is a very special thing. Its purpose is to solve problems, big problems that affect the balance of all things. Anybody can serve on the Council, so long as they are willing to listen. A complete Council is not required for every problem, but a complete Council will consist of at least one Fraggle, one Gorg, one Doozer, & one Silly Creature."

"But why me?" Gobo asked.

"Do you remember when I asked you to assemble the Honk of Honks?"

"Yeah…"

"You did so by bringing together the many parts of our Universe. I'm merely asking you to do the same thing, in a different way. You must take a complete Council on a quest to find the Cave of the Council."

"Hey! We have a Silly Creature right here!" Wembley called out, giving me a gentle nudge. The crowd helped nudge me along until I was standing in front of Gobo & Cantus. To my surprise, another Silly Creature was being ushered through the crowd.

It was a very familiar looking old man & his dog.

"Doc?" I asked. "Sprocket?"

I held out my hand for Sprocket to sniff as he came over. He must have recognized me, because he started barking & wagging his tail.

"Caroline?" Doc asked, as shocked to see me as I was to see him. "Is that really you?" I nodded. "But how did you get here?"

"She's the one I was telling you about, the one who moved into the First Room." Gobo said.

"Oh, you must have fond the extra Shrinking Gummies that Sprocket & I hid there, before we moved into Fraggle Rock." Doc said. "How often have you been coming here?"

"Not often." I said. "This is my first visit."

"A reunion between old friends is a very special thing, but I'm afraid that I'll have to cut this one short." Cantus said. "There is much to do, & not much time to do it. Gobo, you must decide who will accompany you on your journey."

Doc & Sprocket shared a look. They had always been able to communicate in a way most humans & dogs couldn't.

"Well, Gobo, I had promised Mokey that I would attend her poetry reading this afternoon, & Sprocket promised the Doozers he would help clear some space in the Eastern Caverns." Doc said. "Perhaps Caroline would like the opportunity to have a proper adventure…?"

"What do you say Caroline?" Gobo asked. "Will you come with me?"

I felt the weight of his question, as all eyes turned to me. I knew my answer instantly.

"Yes!" I said, excitedly. A huge cheer went throughout the Great Hall.

"You must go to the shores of the Great Fraggle River. The Mark of the Fraggle will guide you in the right direction." Cantus said. "But remember, you must also take a Gorg & a Doozer with you."

"Hold on, aren't Gorgs the natural enemy of Fraggles?" I asked.

"Well, most Gorgs don't like us." Gobo said. "But there is one who might be willing to help us…"

* * *

 **You guys probably have a pretty good idea about which Gorg & Doozer will be chosen for this quest, but that's what will be coming up next. Once we finish getting the team together, we can focus on the good stuff…like an adventure through Fraggle Rock!**

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

Caroline's POV:

"Wow." I breathed, poking my head out & taking in the sight of the Garden for the first time. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah, it's real nice out here when the Gorgs aren't around." Gobo said.

As he spoke, a giant hairy creature walked out of the building that stood before us. He seemed to be looking for something.

"C'mon, let's go see if he'll help us." Gobo said, jumping out into the Garden.

I followed, reluctantly. Doc had described the Gorgs as being as big as mountains. He was right. I had the feeling that this Gorg would tower over me even at my real height...

"Fraggles!" the Gorg cried. I jumped back, but Gobo didn't seem to be afraid as the Gorg sat on the ground to talk to us. "Hey, guess what! I was talking to the Trash Heap this morning, & she said there was a way I could visit you in Fraggle Rock without eating a nirvana tree leaf!"

"That's great!" Gobo said. "That's what we came to talk to you about. Cantus has given us a quest. We need to find the Cave of the Council, & we need a Gorg to come with us."

"Oh boy! Then maybe you know where it is!"

Gobo & I shared a look. "Actually, we don't. We just know we start at the Great Fraggle River." I called up to him.

"No, that doesn't sound like the riddle she gave me." The Gorg took notice of me for the first time. "Gee, you're a funny looking Fraggle."

"Junior, this is Caroline. She's a Silly Creature from Outer Space." Gobo said, turning to me. "That's Junior Gorg, the only Gorg who ever befriended the Fraggles."

"What was the riddle?" I asked.

"She gave me this key." Junior held it up for us to see. "She said that what I was looking for was locked in a chest, & the chest was hidden with other items you use for a particular purpose."

"Junior!" a voice bellowed from inside his home. "You better be cleaning out the tool shed like I told you to, & not be talking to that pile of trash again!" Another Gorg came outside. His eyes widened when he saw us. "Fraggles!"

"Time to go." Gobo said. He grabbed my hand & we took off running. Junior jumped to his feet, but not quite quick enough, & the other Gorg fell to the ground when he tripped over Junior.

Gobo jumped into the hole easily, but I couldn't quite make it. I scrambled up behind him. He reached out for me. I took his hand & he pulled me into the safety of Fraggle Rock.

* * *

"Are those crystals?" I asked as we walked back to the Great Hall to wait for Junior.

"No. These are Doozer constructions." Gobo said. "Actually, a snack isn't a bad idea. It's not far to the Great Fraggle River, but I don't know how far away this Cave of the Council is. We should keep our energy up." Gobo bit into the constriction. "Go ahead, have some."

"Thanks." I said, trying to find some of the constriction to pull off. "We still need to find a Doozer to come with us. Do you think the ones that built this are still nearby?" I asked, tugging on the tower. I must have pulled a little too hard, because the whole tower crashed to the ground at my feet.

"Hey!" a little voice said. I looked to my right to see a little green creature in a scooter. "If you're going to knock down my tower, the least you could do is eat it."

"Sorry." I said, bending down to pick up the pieces.

"It's ok. We'll take the rest with us." Gobo said.

"Oh? Are you exploring new caves again?"

"Sort of. We've been given a quest by Cantus. We need to find the Cave of the Council, & we need to take a Gorg & Doozer with us."

"Then I know just the Doozer for the job." it said. "Cotterpin Doozer, at your service."

"Cotterpin, the last time we went exploring, I was held captive by a bunch of Doozers!"

"So was I, but you don't see me complaining about it."

"So what's in these things anyway?" I asked, as I took a bite out of one of the sticks I had picked up. "When I was younger, I always thought they would taste like rock candy."

One bite confirmed that they did not taste like rock candy.

"They're made from radishes, not rocks." Cotterpin said matter-of-factly. She turned to get a closer look at me. "Say, you're kinda a funny looking Fraggle, aren't ya?"

"So I've been told." I said.

"Hey guys!" We turned to see a Fraggle sized Junior Gorg running down the tunnel. "I found the Shrinking Gummies! They were in the tool shed all along!" He stopped in front of us. "I'm all ready for the quest."

"Well, what do you say, Gobo?" Cotterpin asked.

"Ok, Cotterpin, you can come." Gobo said. "I want to stop by my room first, to get some maps & supplies." Cotterpin got off of her vehicle, & Gobo placed her on his shoulder.

"Let's go find the Cave of the Council!"

* * *

 **Now that our team is assembled, we can finally begin our quest! Next time, we'll journey to the Great Fraggle River…but what will we find when we get there?**

 **Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Caroline's POV:

"There it is!" Gobo said as we entered a tunnel. "That's the Great Fraggle River."

"Yay, we finished the quest!" Junior said.

"No, Cantus said we start here. We need to find the Mark of the Fraggle, so we know where to go next." Gobo said.

We started to look around. The journey so far had been largely uneventful, so it would probably be easy to find.

"There!" Gobo said, pointing to a sign across the river. It had a picture of a Fraggle on it, with its hands on either side of its head in a silly way. An arrow was drawn next to it, pointing down a tunnel. "Looks like we have to swim across."

"Oh no!" Cotterpin cried. "Doozers _hate_ to swim!"

"I can swim, but I don't like the look of that current." I said, watching the water rush past. "I'm not sure if any of us would be able to get across without getting swept downstream…"

"Ooh! I know! We can use a bridge!" Junior said.

"Except there _isn't_ a bridge around to use." Gobo pointed out. We stood in silence as we each worked to figure out a solution. I looked around the cave, hoping to find a way to cross.

My eyes wandered up towards the ceiling, & I noticed something that might just work…

"Look at that!" I said, pointing. "It almost looks like somebody carved the rock ceiling into monkey bars!"

"What are monkey bars?" Gobo asked.

"It's a game." I explained. I noticed a pile of rocks to one side, almost arranged like steps, & climbed up so I could reach the first bar. "Kids climb on them, & try to cross by swinging from their hands, like this." I pushed off from the rocks, & used the momentum to swing to the second bar. After hanging there for a moment, I dropped back down.

"Cotterpin, why don't you get in my pocket? I can swing us across the river." She carefully slid off of Gobo's pack into my hand, & held open my jeans' pocket so she could fit inside. Once she was comfortably settled, I climbed back up the rock steps & prepared to grab the first bar.

"Wait!" Cotterpin said from my pocket. "Are you sure you can get all the way across? What if you fall into the river?"

"It's the only way we have to get across." I said. "I won't fall, but if I do, just hold on tight to my jeans. I'll make sure you're safe."

"Oh, all I can think about it is falling into that horrible rushing river…" Cotterpin moaned as I began to make my way across.

"Then let's think about something else." I said, deciding to go slowly & carefully. "All I know about Doozers is that they like to work. What's your life like?" I asked, trying to think of a topic. "Do you have any family?"

"Of course I do!" Cotterpin said. "I have a mom & dad just like every Doozer. My daddy even leads his own team of builders. Don't _you_ have a family?"

"I do." I said. "It was just my dad & I for as long as I can remember. My mom walked out on us when I was very little."

"So you don't have a Ma at all?" Junior asked. He & Gobo were swinging along behind me.

"Actually, my dad just got remarried, so now I have a stepmom." I said…as I missed the next bar in front of me.

We were directly over the Great Fraggle River.

Luckily, I hadn't let go of the previous bar, so I swung back & held on tight with both hands, trying to calm my racing heart. That had been close.

"I also have some siblings for the first time." I said, trying to keep Cotterpin calm after our near fall. "There's my stepbrother, Niraj, who's only a couple years younger than me. I also have a stepsister named Esha, who's 7." I grabbed the next bar, & swung myself the rest of the way over the Great Fraggle River. I tried not to breathe a sigh of relief.

"We made it!" Cotterpin said, happily. "But, uh…how do we get down from here?"

"Getting down is the easy part." I said. "Hold on tight." I let go of the monkey bars, landing on the rock below. I stepped out of the way to let Gobo & Junior jump down after me.

"That was fun!" Junior said.

"C'mon!" Gobo said. "Let's go find the Cave of the Council!"

* * *

 **They've made it past the first challenge, but their quest won't be that easy…Next time, our explorers will face an even tougher challenge!**

 **Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

Caroline's POV:

"You know, my uncle has spent years exploring your world." Gobo said to me as we walked along. "In fact, he was just telling me about this weird creature he met. It was a black & white creature that was eating leftovers that the Silly Creatures had put outside."

"I suppose it was probably a stray cat or dog, or maybe a raccoon going through somebody's trash." I said, thinking out loud.

"Uncle Matt called it the Smelly Creature. It smelled so bad, that he even stank like it for days!" Gobo said as we entered a large room. I was about to point out that it was _not_ a raccoon that his uncle encountered, when Gobo stepped on a vine, snapping it in two.

Two rock slabs, which had been propped open like doors, swung shut behind us.

"Oh no! We're trapped!" Junior said.

"But there's gotta be a way out." Gobo said. "We can't have come this far for nothing."

We fell silent as we looked around the cave. It was a large space, mostly empty, with a large chasm along the left side. A basket hung by the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Isn't that the Mark of the Fraggle on that basket?" Cotterpin asked from my pocket. We walked over to take a look.

"It looks like it's attached to a pulley system." Cotterpin said. "Maybe if we put something heavy in it, the door will open & we'll be free."

"I could sit in it." Junior offered.

"The door will only stay open while the basket is down. As soon as you got out, it'll close again."

"How can you be sure?" Gobo asked.

"I've seen this type of design before. It's in the Doozer lore that every Doozer has to study before they can become a worker."

"What about those rocks?" I asked. There was a stack of boulders on top of a tall pillar near where we had entered. "One of those would probably be heavy enough."

"Good idea." Gobo said. "I bet I can climb up & get one." He scurried up the pillar with ease.

"It looks like if I turn this little rock here, then one of the boulders will fall down to you." Gobo said. "Get ready…"

He released the boulder, which fell…right into the chasm.

"Let me try again."

His second & third tries also fell into the chasm.

"This isn't working." Cotterpin declared.

"Maybe one of us can climb down there?" I asked, eyeing the chasm. It was a long way down…

"I don't think so." Gobo said, rejoining us. "It would be a really difficult climb."

"But then how are we going to get out?" Junior asked. None of us had a good answer to that…

"You know, there are vines all over this cave." Cotterpin wondered aloud. "I wonder if they are all attached to different pulley systems. Maybe this is like the old Doozer Ingenuity Tests."

"The what test?" Junior asked.

"The Ingenuity Test. A long time ago, when a Doozer was ready to begin work, they would first have to pass an Ingenuity Test. They would be locked in a room, & the only way to get out was to figure out the puzzle that opened the door."

"Sort of like an escape room." I said.

"Sure, whatever that is. If this is an Ingenuity Test, then everything we need is already in here."

"Let's spread out & look for clues." Gobo suggested.

"So we're just looking for a hidden knob?" I asked Cotterpin as I walked us over to the wall on the far side.

"We're looking for anything." she said. "A knob, a switch…"

"What about a lever?" I asked, eying a pile of rocks beside me. A long skinny rock stood in the middle. Cotterpin noticed the same thing.

"Only one way to find out."

I angled myself so I could see the chasm, & then pulled the lever towards me. A long piece of rock flipped up, like a ramp. It flipped back down as I let go of the lever.

"I think I found something!" I called, showing Gobo & Junior my discovery. "It won't stay, though. I'll have to hold it in place."

"Let's try it." Gobo said. He climbed back up the pillar, & sent another rock down. I held onto the lever tightly, while the rock rolled down…off the end & into the chasm.

"We're getting closer." Gobo said as we regrouped. "Did anybody else find anything?" Cotterpin & I shook our heeds as Junior spoke up. "All I fond was a little hole carved into the wall, but it's too small to be any help."

"Maybe not." Cotterpin said. "I'm pretty small. Maybe I'll fit." We walked over to the hole that Junior had discovered. I carefully helped Cotterpin climb out of my pocket & into my hand, then brought her over to the hole.

"Looks like the perfect size for a Doozer." she said, walking into the hole.

"Do you see anything?" Gobo asked.

"Not much. It's not very deep, but…I think I found a switch!" Cotterpin said. A moment later, two flat slabs of rock were lowered from the ceiling, hanging over the chasm. They were raised again a moment later.

"I bet that will keep the boulder from falling off the edge of the ramp!" I said, excited.

"Just like the lever, it won't stay on its own." Cotterpin said. "But I can stay here & hold it."

"Ok, then let's do it." Gobo said. We all returned to our places. "Ok, on three. One…two…three!"

He released the boulder. I held the lever in place to keep the ramp steady. The boulder rolled down, bouncing slightly off of the buffers that Cotterpin had lowered…but not enough to knock it off the ramp!

"Yay! We got the bolder!" Junior cried.

"Put it in the basket!" We all told him.

"Oh, right." Junior picked it up with ease, walked over to the basket, & placed the boulder neatly inside. Two slabs of rock, on the wall opposite of where we came in, swung open to reveal a tunnel.

The Mark of the Fraggle was carved on the wall of the tunnel, beckoning us forward on our quest.

* * *

 **Next time, our group gets closer to the Cave of the Council…but it might be closer than they think! In fact, the next chapter might even be the last chapter…I haven't decided yet whether to split the remaining scenes into two parts or not...**

 **Either way, stay tuned to find out what happens next!**

 **Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

Caroline's POV:

"This must be it!" Gobo said. We had discovered a doorway marked on either side by the Mark of the Fraggle.

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! We made it!" Junior said.

"Gobo!" We all turned to see Wembley coming down the hall towards us. He was joined by two large rats.

"Gobo, these two guys were looking for ya."

"The Trash Heap sends us as her emissaries." the grey one said.

"Yeah, she wants to know what's going on." the purple one said.

"Wembley, are you telling me you followed us all the way out here?" Gobo asked.

"What do you mean, Gobo? You're not that far from the Great Hall." We all shared looks of surprise. "C'mon! I'll show you."

Wembley led us down the hall, & sure enough, we found ourselves back in the Great Hall.

"We went in a big circle." I said, stating the obvious.

"You mean we walked all this way for nothing?" Cotterpin asked from her perch on Junior's shoulder.

"I see you have returned." Cantus said as he approached.

"Cantus, why did you send us on this big long quest for a cave that was just steps from the Great Hall?" Gobo asked him.

"Have you found the Cave of the Council?" Cantus asked.

"Yeah. It's right down there."

"Have you been inside?"

"Uh, no…not yet…"

"Then your quest is not yet complete." Cantus said. "Finish it, & all will be explained."

We walked back to the Cave of the Council, this time with Cantus in tow. I glanced behind me, & noticed that many of the Fraggles from the Great Hall were also following us, as were Doc & Sprocket.

When we got back to the Cave, we pushed against the stone blocking the entrance, until it swung open. We stepped inside.

In the middle of the room was a circular stone table, surrounded by four stone chars. The rest of the room seemed to have bleacher like seating carved into the walls, & there was a window on the wall opposite the entrance, which looked out to…somewhere…

"Hey! I think that's the Doozer Dome!" Cotterpin said.

"Yes, it is." Cantus said. "That window was built so that Doozers & Fraggles can communicate easily with each other. Since they occupy most of the same space, they need to be able to communicate."

"Cantus, you still haven't explained. Why did we have to walk all away around the Rock just to get here?" Gobo asked. "Why couldn't we have just come right here in the first place?"

"Because the destination was not really important." Cantus said. "It was the _journey_ that was important." We shared a look of confusion. "Of course you could've taken the shorter path, but it wouldn't have led to where you are now."

"Yes, it would." Cotterpin said. "The cave's location wouldn't have changed."

"No, but we did. _We_ changed." Gobo said. "It's just like you've said, Cantus. We are a part of everything, & everything is a part of us."

"The Ingenuity Test." I said, catching on. "That was designed for each of us. We had to work together to get out of it."

"Oh, so that's why you needed each of us to come with you." Cotterpin said.

"You mean, this entre quest was just so we could become friends?" Junior asked.

"Yes. It's wonderful, isn't it? Friendships, especially with those who are not like you, can change the world." Cantus said. "The Council of the Universe exists to solve problems that affect the balance on all things. Friendship is the first step. The rest is up to you…all of you." Cantus began to address the crowd that had gathered.

"Fraggle Rock stands between the many worlds of the Universe, which gives Fraggles a unique perspective on the Universe. It is up to the Fraggles, along with the Gorgs, Doozers, & Silly Creatures, to bring peace to the Universe. These groups have drifted apart. Now it's time for them to come together again."

"But how do we do that?" Gobo asked.

" _Listen._ "

"But first, let's celebrate!" A Fraggle with red pigtails called out. As an impromptu party began, I found myself answering all sorts of questions about life in Outer Space. Junior & Cotterpin were also fielding questions about their own respective worlds & lives.

As the party continued, I was able to mingle towards Doc & Sprocket, who were also answering questions about what their lives had been like in Outer Space before they moved.

"You know, Doc, I think these Shrinking Gummies might be your best invention of all." I told him.

"Oh, I didn't invent them." Doc said. "A few years after you & your dad moved away, Sprocket & I found them hidden in a cupboard with the secret formula. When we decided to move here, we hid the extras in the old workshop just in case."

"Secret formula?"

"Yes, well, those Gummies will run out eventually." Doc said. "But don't worry about that now. You have enough for lots more adventures, but when you run out, I'll help you make more."

"So…somebody else knows about Fraggle Rock…" I said.

"Yes, but I don't think that's a bad thing." Doc said. "Knowing about Fraggle Rock might just be the most wonderful thing of all! But, you know, I would love to meet them. Just to shake their hand, one inventor to another, & congratulate them on their discovery."

Doc was probably right. There was no reason to worry, but I was still curious…

Who was the first person to discover Fraggle Rock?

* * *

 **Dun dun dun…I didn't want to end the story without a little wiggle room for a possible sequel!**

 **Next up is our final chapter, which will bring our story full circle, with a few references to actual episodes to tie it all together…**

 **Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

Caroline's POV:

"There it is." Gobo said. "Outer Space." After talking & celebrating with the Fraggles for a while, I had asked Gobo to bring me back. It was getting late, & I knew that my dad would get worried if I didn't show up for dinner…

"Wow." Junior said. He, Cotterpin, Doc, & Sprocket had walked me back as well. For Junior & Cotterpin, it must have been their first time seeing my world.

"It's so big." Cotterpin said from Junior's shoulder. "A Doozer could build lots of stuff out there."

"My old workshop." Doc said, peering out fondly. "It looks like it's in good hands."

"I turned it into a music room." I said. "I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, of course not. It's not my workshop anymore. I'm glad you're still pursuing music. Even at a young age, you always had such a passion for it."

Sprocket barked something to Doc.

"Well, Sprocky, we've been gone a long time. I doubt Ms. Ardath or her dog, Marigold, still lives next door. The Captain's Inn might not even be in business anymore." Doc said.

"The Captain's Inn is still there." I said. "I think Samira, my stepmother, mentioned that Ms. Ardath retired last year. It's now run by her son, whose golden retriever often likes to run off with golf balls when he practices putting." I smiled. "I can try to track her down if you want."

Doc seemed very keen on that idea. "I haven't seen Betty in a long, long time…It would be nice to find out what happened to her." He pulled himself out of whatever memories had resurfaced. "I don't know how you're going to do it, but tell your dad that Sprocket & I say hello."

"I will." I promised. With one last lingering look at everyone, I turned & walked back to my music room. I gave myself plenty of space, & then I took one of the Shrinking Gummies out of the bag & chewed it. I felt the weird feeling return, but now I found myself growing back to my proper size. Once the feeling had subsided, I knelt down to peer through the hole. The others stared back at me.

"Wow. You're big." Cotterpin said.

"Yeah, but probably not as big as a Gorg." I said, smiling. "So…maybe I'll see you soon?" I asked, hopefully. I didn't want to be rude, but I also wasn't quite ready to let go of Fraggle Rock just yet…

"Sure!" Gobo said. "Come back anytime."

"Ok, I will!" I said, haply. "Maybe tomorrow? After school?"

"Sure!" Gobo said. "See you tomorrow, Caroline."

I waved as they all turned back to Fraggle Rock. I heard the door open behind me & jumped to my feet just as my dad walked in.

"Everything ok?" Dad asked. "You've been out here for a while…"

"Fine!" I said, maybe a little too quickly as I tried to shove the bag of Shrinking Gummies in my pocket without letting my dad see. "Just studying…"

"What's that?" he asked. I said nothing as he walked over. "Looks like a really ugly old hole in the wall. Well, don't worry about it. I'll board it up one of these days…"

"No!" Dad gave me a strange look. "I mean…" I tried to sound rational. "It gives the place character. I like it."

"O…k…?" I knew he was confused, but I wasn't sure how to explain. "Well, it's almost dinner time, so come on back inside, ok?"

"Ok." I said. As I followed him out, my gaze drifted to the engraved guitar picks that I had ordered, still sitting on the table.

 _You cannot leave the Magic._

I smiled to myself. I knew that inscription to be true.

The Magic was just beginning…

* * *

 **This has been so much fun to write! Just like Caroline, I don't think I'm ready to let go of Fraggle Rock just yet…Maybe I'll write a sequel to this one day…**

 **Until next time!**

 **Please review!**


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